Atlanta Hawks at Lakers: Point presence desperately needed
Los Angeles–The following question was put to Al over All-Star weekend: How can the Hawks be a better defensive team when they so obviously struggle to contain the perimeter and opponents relentlessly attack that weakness?
“Our guards have got to do a better job of that,” Al said. “Obviously we [bigs] have to be there on the help side, but we need to have that presence to try and keep the ball out of the paint as much as we can.”
The answer to that has been “not much at all” with the current group and as long as that’s the case it’s going to be too difficult for the Hawks to get consistent stops in the playoffs. L.D. has tricked things up with zones and switches but that’s just smoke and mirrors that teams like Boston, Orlando, Chicago and Miami will exploit.
This fundamental issue explains why they are so desperate to add a point guard like Devin Harris. The advanced stats say Harris has declined defensively–perhaps because of a poor attitude in New Jersey, as reported by the Bergen Record’s Al Iannazzone.
Perhaps a change of scenery would rejuvenate Harris, who has been a good defender in the past. Even if it didn’t, Harris would be an upgrade defensively over what the Hawks have now. He’s also an excellent playmaker who would push the pace in the open floor and allow Josh and Al to run and fill the lanes instead of handling the ball.
Jamal needs a jolt
Jamal is slumping. Perhaps more troublesome than the shots not going in are the long stretches when he’s stopped shooting—six shots against Toronto, two against Detroit–because if he’s not trying to score where is the bench going to find points?
Jamal is in some kind of funk. It happens occasionally and said he’s not sure why.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Once or twice a year I do that for whatever reason.”
L.D. had a talk with Jamal after practice Monday, like he has the other times when it seems like Jamal isn’t into it.
“I’ve got to get him going,” Drew said. “All great scorers go through periods where they go through a little slump. It’s nothing unusual. He just has to work his way out of it and I have to help him out of it. We will try to get him on the right course tonight.”
Status quo
Drew said he will use the “big” lineup against the Lakers but hasn’t made up his mind about a permanent change to the normal lineup:
“I spent these four days looking at some of the possibilities as far as changes within the lineup. Nothing concrete yet. I will keep tinkering with it as we move forward, see how we do [tonight] and at Phoenix on the back-to-back. It won’t be anything [different], I think, on this road trip. I will just decide whether to go with big lineup or traditional lineup [each game] and see what happens.”
High expectations
The Lakers have lost three straight, including an ugly L to the Cavs, to drop to 8.5 games behind San Antonio in the West. These developments qualify as a crisis in these parts, though Kobe was upbeat yesterday after Lakers practice:
“It’s a marathon. You see the finish line, you tend to pick up the speed a little bit.”
Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times offers a four-point plan to fix the Lakers.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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836 comments Add your comment
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
7:41 pm
Kobe’s going for 45 tonight!!! He’s wearing the new energy bands…Plays like he’s 10 yrs younger now! Those bands work! My remote is ready to go!!! Tomorrow the Hawks get swept by Phoenix……Sund start packing your bags cause your contract is just about up….
northcyde
February 22nd, 2011
7:43 pm
Players that Sund would probably be forced to use the TPE on:
- Will Bynum
- Johan Petro
- Dahntay Jones
- Johnny Flynn
All have multiple years left on their deal.
I figure that no playoff team in the East will trade with us. And it makes no sense for a team to trade for the TPE, if they have an expiring contract on their roster. And guys like Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry and Eric Gordon are NOT going to be traded just for a TPE.
So it’s down to dealing with non-playoff teams and/or teams out West, who have a 3 mill per year player signed for 2 – 3 more years.
When the Devin Harris deal doesn’t materialize, and Sund comes out and says sometime tomorrow or Thursday that “the Nets offer just didn’t make fiscal sense for the Hawks organization” . . look for Sund to then use that TPE to possibly get “somebody”.
So of the 4 guys I listed, who would people want?
MsDee
February 22nd, 2011
7:46 pm
Will Bynum out of the 4, northcyde
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
7:50 pm
dont sleep.. if thats true.. Manny Harris can actually play.. he’s actually looking like a better pro than Evan Turner..
ag
February 22nd, 2011
7:50 pm
Dear Rick Sund:
I have been a Hawks fan for over 30 years. Yes, there have been a lot of ups and downs. I really enjoy going to the Phillips, not only for the game, but for the entertainment. The food is also very good and the snacks, and watching the Hawks is really exciting as well. Yet, I feel when EVERY team ahead of us made changes to improve and the teams that were worse than else improved to get better, players like Boozer, James, Bosh, Anthony, Shaq, etc., you told us Josh Powell and Etan Thomas would make us better. You told us these players will help us not get embarassed by the National media by getting blown out of every game against Orlando. You told us hiring Larry Drew, who never was a head coach and even played on losing teams in 7 of his 10 years in the NBA was better hire than Byron Scott, Bill Laimbeer, Mark Jackson etc. I think you told us you didn’t care. I think the fans have told you and the owners by not going to the games how we feel. I would love to again go to the Phillips, but until a change is made ( I don’t consider a career 4 ppg 2 rb center a change) I will not spend not ONE dollar on this team – that same dollar which goes on your paycheck.
superiorblogman
February 22nd, 2011
7:52 pm
How to F up your cap then blame the Fans and try to put pressure on your players staring Rick “DumbSundofaGM”
Step 1: Pay Zaza I got in KG’s face Pachulia $4 million a year to get dominated by any and every player that is in front of him.
Step 2: Pay a former D League player $4 million a year after trading away your 1st round draft pick at PG who many said could be the best PG of his class in 3 years. You trade him after a year and a half.
Devin Harris makes $9 million next year. Put Zaza and Session’s salaries together and you get about $8.75 mill next year. Now go try and trade Sessions and Zaza for Harris. You will get laughed at, but I guess this guy needs more proof that he is incompetent. There is a reason Sund does not make moves, because no one wants his dumb arse contracts.One stupid MF’er
JoJo the Godfather
February 22nd, 2011
7:53 pm
I’m all for the Evans/Teague for Sessions/Harris trade, and Manny Harris is the reason. Articles suggest Manny Harris is busting his hump to improve his game. Not much of a 3 pt shooter in college, he’s shooting 37% in the nba while attempting 2 a game in just under 20 minutes per. He’s been praised for his defensive effort and rebounding as well. It’s almost comical though how Harris, Jordan Crawford (both from Detrot), and Jamal Crawford (played at Michigan like Harris) are so similar in size.
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
7:53 pm
No one outside of a Kool-Aid-induced delusion takes this squad seriously.”
I Cosign….
RealSquawk
February 22nd, 2011
7:55 pm
No seriously can we send mass letters like the one AG just posted to Hawks management and actually follow through.
Whose ready for change?
Northcyde do you work for the hawks or something.
Johnny Flynn
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
7:55 pm
Sund=31+ years of incompetence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
7:55 pm
but he would never play of course.
RealSquawk
February 22nd, 2011
7:57 pm
superiorblogman who are the people in example two?
Section 303
February 22nd, 2011
8:00 pm
Hey, if any of you remember what I wrote today on the previous blog, I would trade Mo Evans for a bag of balls.
I guess Cleveland is trying to save their basketballs and will throw Manny Harris into a deal for Mo Evans instead.
Tremaine
February 22nd, 2011
8:07 pm
“DumbSundofaGM” is classic, lmao.
lewis
February 22nd, 2011
8:11 pm
my best slimjr,
THE HAWKS ARE A JOKE!!!! LARRY DREW IS A JOKE!!! RICK SUND IS A JOKE!!! THIS CITY IS A JOKE!!! I AM A JOKE!!!! I CONSISTENTLY STATE THE OBVIOUS AND NOTHING MORE! THIS TEAM SUCKS AND I DO NOT NEED TO BACKUP ANYTHING I SAY. TO JUSTIFY MY BEING RIGHT ALL I NEED TO DO IS PUT A TON OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!! IF I KEEP TALKING SH!T, THE HAWKS WILL MAKE A MOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shake Something
February 22nd, 2011
8:11 pm
I wouldve co-signed for those bag of balls.
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:14 pm
Knicks looking for a Center..
i wonder how bad.. Za Za and New York, the perfect marriage..
lewis
February 22nd, 2011
8:15 pm
Confirmed Tayshun Prince is not going anywhere.
Hawks #1 Fan – null.
ag
February 22nd, 2011
8:15 pm
The guy the Hawks should try to get is Rodrigue Beaubois. This kid has mad game!
+ Speedy guard who can shoot and score. Has a 2’s instincts in a 1’s body.
+ Can check quick guards and racks up steals, but needs better fundamentals.
+ Gets out of control on the dribble and needs to make better decisions.
Beaubois was so good as a rookie that the Mavs have no choice but to play him, even though they don’t have a rotation spot open for him. He came in second on the Mavs on points per minutes last season at 22.7, while achieving the second-best TS% among shooting guards. He also led all rookies in PER, albeit in just 700 minutes.
This is based on a small minutes sample so he’s unlikely to shoot quite that well over a full season, but he doesn’t have to. If he just takes better care of the ball, he can be a devastating scoring option at either guard spot. Although his projection for this season is equally optimistic, it’s based on the same small minutes sample so it should be taken with a grain of salt.
Beaubois ranked 61st out of 66 shooting guards in turnover ratio, but even here there is good news. Rookies with high turnover rates tend to progress much more in subsequent seasons than their counterparts with low rates, so his mistakes can be considered part of the learning curve.
Of greater concern is his ultimate position. He’s only 6-foot-2 but hasn’t shown the court sense to play point guard. While his great athleticism somewhat mitigates the size problem at the 2 — he jumped into the top 15 of shooting guards in both blocks and steals per minute — his only realistic hope of being a long-term starter is at the point. At the very least he needs a “job swap” arrangement, in which somebody like Kidd can play point on offense and check 2s on defense while Beaubois does the opposite.
He should start, but a broken foot suffered in the offseason could cloud the picture. Beaubois is unlikely to be ready by opening day, so he’ll have to charge his way into an established rotation once he returns.
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
8:18 pm
@lewis that’s funny…
lol…
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:18 pm
oh my..
if Orl gets Camby.. its a wrap.
ag
February 22nd, 2011
8:19 pm
START JEFF TEAGUE…If he sucks, then we need to make a trade. But I think he has more upside. Use the trade bait (Marvin, Mo, Crawford(s) for a big.
Sautee
February 22nd, 2011
8:19 pm
#1 Hawks Fan
February 22nd, 2011
2:04 pm
“Breaking News…..
From what I hear from a person inside the Piston’s organization, look for a trade soon (this evening) between the Hawks, Pistons, and New Jersey involving Jamal Crawford, Marvin Williams, Zaza Pachulia, and draft picks. Based on what he said, we are getting a pg and a big. I will keep you guys posted if I can get the names of the potential players coming to Atlanta. I almost didn’t believe it when I heard it. Apparently, this is real.”
Apparently it won’t be “this evening”
Hey #1 are you keeping us posted?
lewis
February 22nd, 2011
8:20 pm
the only hope was that #1 hawks fan was Jamal Crawford himself! rofl
RealSquawk
February 22nd, 2011
8:21 pm
bigdave it has been a wrap
lewis
February 22nd, 2011
8:22 pm
The Atlanta Hawks are working hard to move point guard Mike Bibby(notes), and Washington’s Kirk Hinrich(notes) has emerged as a real target for them. Denver’s Raymond Felton(notes) and Portland’s Andre Miller(notes) also are looming large on the Hawks’ radar, sources say. The Hawks have inquired about the Nets’ Harris, but there are no deal possibilities there, sources said.
The Hawks are trying hard to rid themselves of the three years and $23.2 million left on Marvin Williams’(notes) contract after this season. “For what he makes, it’s a tough sell,” said one NBA coach whose team desires a forward who can score the ball.
The Hawks also have explored trying to trade guard Jeff Teague(notes) and swingman Maurice Evans(notes) to the Cleveland Cavaliers for guards Ramon Sessions(notes) and Manny Harris(notes), one source said.
– Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears, 7:10 p.m. ET, Feb. 22
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:22 pm
Hawks wont give up Marvin for Devin..
Chris_Broussard:
ATL interested in Devin Harris, who is Being shopped hard my NJ. Not offering Marvin Williams, though. Portland and Dallas interested too [via Twitter]
Reggie
February 22nd, 2011
8:27 pm
The word is Portland is looking to deal Andre Miller and Marcus Camby…that solves the two needs of the Hawks but we cant destroy the depth of the team in making a deal. A deal which involves Mo Evan, Jamal Crawford or Marvin Willams and Jeff Teague should keep enough pieces together to make a serious run at the title.
slimjr
February 22nd, 2011
8:27 pm
Andre Miller is an underrated pg. He’s actually pretty good. Would definitely be an upgrade for Hawks..
cp
February 22nd, 2011
8:28 pm
smh@LD. Dude is forever saying one thing but doing another. Same ol same ol…I rather have Devin Harris but Sessions seems like the guy they end up getting
Oldtimer
February 22nd, 2011
8:28 pm
It is getting late AGAIN. Same time last year all the noise was about the center in Cleveland. After much noise, nothing happened. What happens this year? Will Hawks stay put? Why for God’s love did Hawks sign Joe to the deal they did? i never understand.
vava74
February 22nd, 2011
8:30 pm
jezzz… not using Marvin to bait Devin?
Are these guys insane?
Melvin
February 22nd, 2011
8:31 pm
I would do Bibby for Hinrich yesterday. I think Hinrich would be a great fit for the Hawks. Get it done Sund.
northcyde
February 22nd, 2011
8:34 pm
@ RealSquawk
LOL . . I wish I did work for the Hawks. Dejuan Blair would’ve been drafted instead of Teague . . none of those minimum vet free agent big men would be on the roster . . Sy would still be in France . . and Shaq would be in a Hawks uniform ( even if he’s in a suit right now ). Injured or not, he’d at least be making the Hawks some money.
And right now, the entire league would know that Jamal is on the trading block, just to see what kind of offers I could get for him.
RealSquawk
February 22nd, 2011
8:35 pm
If we trade Marvin how are going to beat the heat in a playoff series?
Josh Smith would have to grow leaps and bounds to guard Lebron for a whole series.
and he can’t guard pierce.
Not saying we shouldn’t but if we trade away Marvin and don’t get a replacement for that position then we are still screwed.
O wait let me shut up Damien Wilkins
Bye Marvin
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:35 pm
why isnt either Jordan or Jamal being shopped? i just dont get our strategy?
superiorblogman
February 22nd, 2011
8:36 pm
RealSquawk
February 22nd, 2011
7:57 pm
superiorblogman who are the people in example two?
Sessions and Teague. Sessions is the former D Leaguer
MsDee
February 22nd, 2011
8:37 pm
Marvin vs Devin????
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:37 pm
i understand wanting to keep Marvin.. ok. slightly ..
but we have a shid load of 2 guards..
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:38 pm
Mo.. Jamal.. Jordan.. one of these guys, if not 2, needs to get us something of need.
doc
February 22nd, 2011
8:39 pm
#1 is going through a name change is my guess sautee. we may hear from him in a different form but not as #1.
MsDee
February 22nd, 2011
8:40 pm
@vava74
The only reason that makes sense is that the Nets arent tryin to give us no SF in return. That should be the only reason Marvin is not in the trade talk with the Nets.
RealSquawk
February 22nd, 2011
8:41 pm
@northcyde – if I was management you would be able to see the Atlanta skyline from your office.
@bigdave – I have no idea especially with Jordan since he isn’t playing. With Jamal it makes fiscal sense to get a player who can contribute and has a longer salary sense we won’t have cap space anyway, but that is just my opinion.
@superiorblogman- thanks for that. cause my head was seriously lost there for a second.
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:41 pm
wow.. and signing Joe wasnt the best move. shhhhhhhiiid.. and trust these guys. stop it.. id trust Smokey w/ a bag of Blvd.’s finest b/4 i trust Sund and them to put together a contender. smh
Chris_Broussard:
ATL not offering much for Devin. A shame b/c he’d be a great fit with Hawks [via Twitter]
8:37 pm
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:42 pm
Chris_Broussard:
ATL not offering much for Devin. A shame b/c he’d be a great fit with Hawks [via Twitter]
8:37 pm!!!!!!
superiorblogman
February 22nd, 2011
8:42 pm
Some of these reports have to be pure bullshi+. Marvin for Harris yesterday. It would help both teams truthfully.Marvin would be there best SF and a glue guy that they could use and we could play Josh Smith at the 3 . Trade Zaza and Mo to New York for Brewer and future considerations. Play Brewer some at the 3, put him back with his teammate Al Horford and he will start looking like something. He is a clear upgrade to old Mo.
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:42 pm
!!!!!!
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
RealSquawk
February 22nd, 2011
8:43 pm
And if we are going to be pasting trade rumors, if at all possible can we list the website you saw them off of we all have internet at least I think you need that to be on the blog.
If it was your private source and not your own personal neurons then by all means keep it confidential.
vava74
February 22nd, 2011
8:45 pm
@Chris_Broussard ATL not offering much for Devin. A shame b/c he’d be a great fit with Hawks
bigdave
February 22nd, 2011
8:45 pm
Tweet from Kings beat writer, James Jones: Kings involved in serious trade talks regarding Landry so he is being held out of tonight’s game.